Steam-engine



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

L. I). COPELAND.

STEAM ENGINE.

Patented Feb; 11,1890.

INVENTIIH I WITNEEJEEEE N PEYERB. Pinto-Lithographer. Wmhingiun, D4 C,

(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2.

L.D.G OPELAND.

STEAM ENGINE.

vN0. 420,930. Patented Feb. 11 1890.

WITNEIEEEIEE INVENTEJFI kw x9. Maw

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UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

LUCIUS D. COPELAND, OF CAMDEN, NE\V JERSEY.

STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 420,930, dated February11, 189i).

Application filed March 21, 1889. Serial No. 304,215. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LUcIUs D. COPELAND, a citizen of the United States,residing at Camden, in the county of Camden and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Engines; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings.

My invention has relation to duplex single-acting steam-engines, and hasfor its object to simplify the construction thereof and effect a savingin the consumption of steam thereby.

My invention consists in constructing an engine of the above characterwith two cylinders of different lengths, the pistons of said cylindersboth having the same length of stroke and the piston-rods thereof ofdifferent lengths, in combination with a slidevalve operated by aneccentric on the main shaft and placed between the cylinders, the portsleading from the valve-chamber to said cylinders being perfectlystraight.

My invention further consists in the provision of a support for the mainshaft of a steam-engine of novel construction and in the means forplacing such support in its proper position, such support consisting ofa yoke maintained on a suitable standard, the base of said standardbeing curved concentrically with the inner diameter of the crank-.chamber and sliding from a suitable door therein in a concentric grooveuntil it strikes an abutment or shoulder in the bottom of said-chamber,where it is secured by contact with said shoulder, as hereinafter morefully described.

My invention further consists in the peculiar construction andcombination of parts, as hereinafter set forth.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a verticallongitudinal section of an engine of improved construction, and Fig. 2 avertical transverse section of the crankchamber.

A and B represent the shorter and longer cylinders, contained withinwhich and sliding therein are the pistons A and B, both of which are ofthe same length and impart motion to the cranks C C on the sections D DD", constituting the main shaft through connecting-rods a b, which are,as shown, of diiferent lengths to correspond with those of thecylinders. These connecting-rods are journaled at their upper ends a bon pins a 19 which pins are secured in trunnions a b cast integral withpistons A .B on the insides thereof, and at their lower ends terminatein heads a 6 journaled on pins 0 c in the cranks C C. Shaft-section D isjournaled in the yoke E, while sections D D are journaled in the caps FF, secured to the crank-chamber by screws f f and havin g hollow bossesf f at their centers, forming the bearings for said sections. These capsalso serve as covers for the openings in the crank-chamber, throughwhich the cranks are inserted or removed.

Yoke E, which is U-shaped in vertical section, is composed of standardse (2, cast integral with the segmental or curved base or flange e whichstandards terminate at their upper ends in semicircular enlargements e,with recesses therein in which revolves shaftsection D. Now, in orderthat this support may be placed in its proper position, the wall at ofthe crank-chamber M is formed with a rectangular opening M therein,which is closed by a flanged cover M, secured to shoulders m by bolts mBegin ning at the lower edge of this opening there is formed in theinner circumference of the crank-chamber a broad concentric groove Mwhich extends downwardly and around the entire inner circumference ofthe casing, terminatin g at the upper side of said opening. The base 6of standards 6 e is curved concentrically with the groove M as shown at6 WVhen it is desired to place support E in position, the same is heldwith its standards e ein a horizontal plane. It is then thrust throughthe opening in the crank-chamber until the enlargements e grasp theshaftsection D, when the bottom of the base e will be in line with thebottom of the groove M just clearing the same. In this position saidsupport is free to be pushed around said shaftsection and in the grooveuntil the edge of base e contacts with the threaded bolt m in groove Min which position support E is secured against dislodgment while theshaft is revolving by reason of the direction of revolution being towardthe said bolt. The

opening in the crank-chamber also aifords means of access to theeccentric G, which is secured to shaft-section D between theenlargements e on the standards e c. This eccentric has the usual rod g,terminating in the head g. This head is journaled on apin h in thecross-head H, which cross-head slides in its casing II when theeccentric G is actuated. The upper end of cross-head H is cast solidlyand receives the lower threaded end of the valve-rod 2', as shown at71.. Rod 1' at its upper end is secured to the lower end of theslide-valve I, which slides up and down I in the valve-chamber I inresponse to the movement of the eccentric and allows the steam from saidchamber, which enters through steam-pipe K, to pass through thesteam-ports k 7t, and thence to the cylinders A B. Said steam-ports arestraght and at right angles with the cylinders and the valvechamber orsteam-chest. Thus the long and tortuous steam-ports most commonlyheretofore provided are effectually dispensed with, which require alarge amount of steam therein, owing to their great length, before saidsteam is admitted to the cylinders and allow a great amount of wastesteam to remain in said ports after the ingress of steam ceases andexhausting begins.

By making the cylinder A shorter than cylinder B the port a of saidcylinder is brought directly opposite the port of the valve, which isalso the case with port b of cylinder B and the valve-port 7a. Thisconstruction affords steam-ports of the shortest possible extent, as thevalve-casing and cylinder are close together, and the amount of wastesteam in said ports is reduced to a minimum. Besides, the trouble ofcasting ports of irregular form is entirely obviated and the expense ofconstructing engines of this class is very greatly reduced, as is alsothe expense of running the same.

The above construction entirely dispenses with the bell-cranks,rock-valves, &c., ineidental to engines as sometimes constructed, anddoes not require the nicety of adjustment of such engines.

The exhaust-pipe is not illustrated in the drawings; butthe outlets tosaid pipe are shown at each end of valve-chamber I and are lettered Z Z.

The heads of cylinders A and B are designated in the drawings by lettersA B The lower ends of these cylinders open directly into thecrankehamber M, as shown in the drawings.

The cylinder-casings may be joined to the crank-chamber casing by boltsor any other convenient means.

W'ith the parts in their respective positions shown in the drawings, aswill be clearly understood, the entrance Z to exhaust Z is just openingon account of piston A being about to make its return stroke, the heada" of valve I having closed the passage for steam from said valve tocylinder A,while entrance Z to exhaust-outlet Z is entirely closed bythe head 0?, and the steam from the valve has entrance to cylinder B,and piston B is about to make its downward stroke.

I am aware that steam-engines with cylinders of different lengths, withtheir pistons of the same length of stroke and the pistonrods ofdifferent lengths, have heretofore been employed; therefore I do notwish to be understood as claiming such a construction, broadly.

WVhat I claim as my invention is as follow?! 1. The combination, withthe main sha t of a steam-engine, of a standard or supper for said shaftprovided with a curved baseplate adapted to slide into a verticalposition in a correspondingly-cu rved crank-chamher and suitably securedtherein in such position, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a steam-engine, the combination,with the main shaft thereof, of astandard or support for said shaft provided with a curved base-plateadapted to slide into a vertical position in acorrrespondingly-curvedcrankchamber in a concentric groove therein and maintained in suchposition by contact with a shoulder or other stop in said groove and thefriction of the main shaft, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a steam-engine, the combination,with

I the shaft-sectionD thereof, of the U-shaped ards 6, provided with theenlargements e and mounted on the curved base-plate 2, adapted to slidein the concentric groove M in a correspondingly-curved crank-chamber Mand into contact with the shoulder on at the end of said groove, saidchamber also having the rectangular opening M in its wall m, providedwith the flanged cover M, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In asteam-engine, the combination,with the cylinders A B, the pistonsA B, the piston-rods a b, the cranks O O, and the main shaft, of thevalve I, the ports k 70', the cylinder-ports (t b in the same horizontalplanes with the ports k 70', the valve-slide I, the slide heads e" i,the eccentric rod g, the eccentric G, the cross-head II, and thevalverod '23, as and for the purpose described.

5. In a steam-engine, the combinatiomwith the cylinders A B, the pistonsA B, the piston-rods a b, the cranks G O, the slide 1', the

valve I, the eccentric G, the eccentric-rod g,

IIO

